# Anyone ever have a problem with Vector butane?



## Rev2010 (Sep 3, 2008)

I have a nice large can that I've been using for quite some time now. I recently refilled two lighters, a Blazer PB-207 and a Nibo dual flame. Yesterday my Blazer refused to light, no matter how many times I tried. I figured it died and today brought out my Nibo... same damn thing! So I know it's the fuel not the lighters. Now, I never shake up my butane cans cause I had read in several places not to shake up butane before filling a lighter. Is this info wrong? Has anyone ever had this issue? I've used Colibri and Zippo butane in the past with no problems and the Vector (which is ultra premium 5x refined) has also never been a problem prior.

I'm rather annoyed by this as draining that huge little tank on the Blazer is going to take a while. Oh, and for the record I do purge the lighters of air everytime before a refill.

Rev.


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## smelvis (Sep 7, 2009)

I have a drawer full of lighters that quit, sometime I use a needle to clear the nozzles and an small brass brush to clean the surround area, this works about 50% of the time, as far as Vector I like it best and have as you tried the rest.

Good Luck!


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## Cigary (Oct 19, 2007)

I use Vector and Lava butane only because of the 5X refined fuel. I work on lighters a lot as I have more lighters than I need but I have this thing for them. I have Nibo lighters and they can be tempermental and mine have stopped working for one of several reasons. Everyone needs to understand that lighters can literally be charged where the seals blow out because of the volume of the charge. It will expand in the tank and the seals can be blown out very easily. Any lighter should not be charged more than 5 seconds unless it has a huge tank on it. Turn the valve all the way to the minus sign... and purge . If you do not turn the valve all the way to the lowest it will go you are inviting problems when you try to refill the lighter. Some "experts" will tell you to refill for up to 15 seconds or until you hear the hissing of the butane coming out of the lighter as that is supposed to be a sign that it is full. DO NOT fill for 15 seconds but rather at the most 5 seconds...wait for a few seconds and then fill again for no more than 3 seconds.

Air is usually the malfunction in any lighter or the jets are clogged and using a blast of compressed air usually fixes the problem. After you refill the tank wait for a few minutes until the lighter is warmed up and then adjust the lighter to the positive sign in 1/4 increments and try lighting. Keep tryiing for at least 4 consecutive 1/4 turns.


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## fuente~fuente (May 11, 2009)

I'll tell you what... I have had my suspicions about Vector fuel myself. I used it exclusively in one of my Xikar lighters for a while & noticed it was starting to lose some of it's pep. I later bought a Dupont X-tend lighter. When I saw that it recommended to use the Dupont fuel only, I asked for some, but the place didn't have any. I asked the guy about what types of fuel other than that he would put in there, & that I was just a bit hesitant to put Vector fuel in the lighter because of what was happening with my Xikar & he said he would only use the Dupont or Xikar fuel... He thought the same thing as me. No more Vector fuel in my lighters...


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## Strick (Aug 21, 2008)

Ditto what Smelvis said. I've tried others with mixed results. I have had good luck cleaning some lighters. I went on trip to the Mountains a couple of weeks ago filled my 2 lighters so i would have them when I got there. Neither one worked in the mountains. Got back home and they were fine. Guess it was the altitude. Had to resort to a trusty Bic...


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## Cigarjim (Jul 24, 2010)

Cigary said:


> I use Vector and Lava butane only because of the 5X refined fuel. I work on lighters a lot as I have more lighters than I need but I have this thing for them. I have Nibo lighters and they can be tempermental and mine have stopped working for one of several reasons. Everyone needs to understand that lighters can literally be charged where the seals blow out because of the volume of the charge. It will expand in the tank and the seals can be blown out very easily. Any lighter should not be charged more than 5 seconds unless it has a huge tank on it. Turn the valve all the way to the minus sign... and purge . If you do not turn the valve all the way to the lowest it will go you are inviting problems when you try to refill the lighter. Some "experts" will tell you to refill for up to 15 seconds or until you hear the hissing of the butane coming out of the lighter as that is supposed to be a sign that it is full. DO NOT fill for 15 seconds but rather at the most 5 seconds...wait for a few seconds and then fill again for no more than 3 seconds.
> 
> Air is usually the malfunction in any lighter or the jets are clogged and using a blast of compressed air usually fixes the problem. After you refill the tank wait for a few minutes until the lighter is warmed up and then adjust the lighter to the positive sign in 1/4 increments and try lighting. Keep tryiing for at least 4 consecutive 1/4 turns.


That is some darn good info!

Jim


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## smelvis (Sep 7, 2009)

Strange on the vector but now I only use my cheap lighters maybe I'll bring out a new one and test it for awhile.


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## Hermit (Aug 5, 2008)

I've never had a problem with Vector.


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## Habanolover (Feb 22, 2006)

I use a Ronson lighter and I fuel it with Ronson fuel. No purgung, turning down the flame adjuster or anything. I just hold it upside down and press the fuel nozzle to it until I think it is full. Damn thing is built like a tank and kind of looks like one(after a major battle). :mrgreen:

To answer Rev though, I have used Vector in the past and have had no problems with it.


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## Enlil (Jun 10, 2010)

Vector butane has always worked well for me too. I have found lighters that did not work, until I filled them with vector.



Cigary said:


> Air is usually the malfunction in any lighter or the jets are clogged and using a blast of compressed air usually fixes the problem.


This is good info for problem lighters. An air bubble in the tank can cause strange malfunctions, and blowing off the jets cant hurt, but often helps.


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## saigon68 (Apr 16, 2009)

Thanks a bunch Jim. Great info. This place is the best!


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## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

I think the lighters are as much to blame as the fuel. Please allow me to explain. I as many had a draw full of lighters that after awhile would not light fill. About 3 years ago i purchased a DuPont X-Tend and Palio cutter it was a combo deal. I fill that X-tend with any fuel i get my hands on and it fills and lights every-time. I used to buy the best fuel for the other 20 30 50 dollar lighters and they all quit. This one takes any fuel and keeps going its also guaranteed for life. In three years it has paid for itself many times over.:smoke2:


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## MrMayorga (Feb 14, 2008)

I've been using Vector exclusively and have not had problems with the fuel. Most of my problems are lighter oriented. Did you try playing with the adjuster? Sometimes I'll have problems if the adjuster is turned too low or too high. Also sometimes all I have to do is turn the adjuster off and then back on. There could be a piece of dust or lint blocking the gas port and it just needs to be cleared. Also blowing the jets out with compressed air or giving it a blast with the butane fuel will also help.


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## Rev2010 (Sep 3, 2008)

Thanks for the responses guys, but it's not the lighters, trust me on this. It's something with the fuel. No one's said anything yet about whether butane should or should not be shaken before filling. Both of these lighters were working flawlessly until the recent refill of each.

I've never taken longer than 5 seconds to refill so I don't think that's a problem, especially for my Nibo with it's much smaller tank. I am going to purge the Nibo, shake the butane this time, and refill and report back. Thanks again guys!


Rev.


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## Rev2010 (Sep 3, 2008)

Double post


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## Cigary (Oct 19, 2007)

Well then,,,you answered your own question as it's got to be the fuel and if so try another brand. I think if anything we were trying to single out those things that are specific to when things go wrong. If your lighters are not suspect then don't use Vector but rather start looking for a fuel that will give you what you need...just like any other product sometimes even the best...is not the best. Good luck finding something that works for you...nothing worse than dealing with lighter issues all the time.


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## fiddlegrin (Feb 8, 2009)

I also use Vector exclusively.

I have shaken and not shaken as I tried to find a way to improve my results. There wasn't any correlation between the shaken or not shaken or even stirred. :dunno:

Vector says to shake the can to determine whether or not there is fuel in it.

I no longer shake the fuel cause it didn't seem to help and some peeps recomend against it...

I have found that my can of Vector eventually stopped producing a good fill when it got a little too low on fuel. 
There was still a significent amount of fuel left in the can and I could go through the normal procedures
and it would all sound normal in the sense of hearing the fuel enter the lighter... but even though there was fuel in the lighter it wouldn't light consistantly or at all. 
But switching to a new can solved it for me. 

I didn't feel cheated by this cause there are sooo many refills in a can of fuel.
Plus a lighter that works is invaluable to me.

B.T.W. 

I took an empty (stress the empty) can of butane and punched a hole in the bottom which makes a great "Purge Tool". 
The plastic tip can't damage a fuel valve and the purge is idiot proof! I will plunge and replunge it a few times to make sure I have gotten everything out of the lighter that I could.

It is of course EXTREMELY important to purge all of the fuel out of the can before punching it cause otherwise, if we happen to generate a spark as we punch it.... very badddd things could happen 

I guess our very own "BadMonkey" - Ben would know something about this :nod:

I wore safety glasses and gloves and hearing protection just in case it "Blew" :fear:

It didn't, but no reason to assume that another one won't...

.


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## Cigary (Oct 19, 2007)

Lol Phil...would love to have seen this on U Tube. Thumbs up on the "low can" of butane theory. I keep full cans of Vector and when they get around the 1/4 mark I toss em. I get the 750 can size and they last for a year or so and that's pretty cheap for the 25 plus lighters I keep around. Good idea on not smoking a cigar when playing with a can of Butane...ROFL


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## fiddlegrin (Feb 8, 2009)

*Zactly! *:nod:

Did you see this one? :ask:


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## Rev2010 (Sep 3, 2008)

K guys, I'm happy to report my Nibo is working perfectly once again after purging all the fuel, shaking the can of Vector, and refilling. I'm convinced now the can must be shaken if sitting for a while. Unfortunately my whole fill in my PB-207 has to be wasted now as I'll need to empty it and refill it.


Rev.


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## fiddlegrin (Feb 8, 2009)

*Sweet!!!*

Glad to hear it's workin!

Please keep us apprised of your results over the next few refills. I did have some success the first time(s) I shook a low can. But it wasn't a consistant result...

Rock On!

:rockon:


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## Rev2010 (Sep 3, 2008)

Thanks Fiddle! I certainly will update you guys, gonna refill my trusty 'ol PB-207 tomorrow and report back if that resolves that one too which I'm pretty certain it will.

It weird because it has a full tank and ever since that refill just refuses to light like the Nibo did. I don't know the science behind shaking it and you'd think it would light with such a full tank and the fact I always purge the air out. I saw the Vector instruction but it only really says to shake the can to make sure there's butane left and there's plenty in my can. Being I'd read many recommend NOT shaking butane I didn't. Guess those suggestions were wrong.

Anyhow, I'll report back tomorrow! Thanks again everyone 


Rev.


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## Cigary (Oct 19, 2007)

WTG Rev...I always breathe a sigh of relief when I can get my lighters back to working. The wife has a fit when I work on mine because she hears that steady click of the lighter for about 10 minutes and she's ready to refill me with 5 seconds of butane up my address and flip the switch herself. 

Depending on what you read and from practical experience there will be those two schools of thought about shaking the can before charging and not shaking. I have done it both ways. I do shake the can when it starts getting empty so I have a clue as to how much is left but when I have a new can I don't shake it at all. Other schools of thought say to open up the flame all the way after it's refilled and then adjust it afterwards to " burn off " any of the impurities after ignition. I guess after you have tried all of the above you do what works for your lighter. How's that for diplomacy?


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## Rev2010 (Sep 3, 2008)

Cigary said:


> she hears that steady click of the lighter for about 10 minutes and she's ready to refill me with 5 seconds of butane up my address and flip the switch herself.


LMAO!! You gave me a good laugh with that! :rotfl:

Rev.


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